Tibet Travel Answers

My wife and I did some research recently on going to Tibet in May but after finding out how much it would cost decided against it because of the length the time we would actually be there. Yes you have to sign up for a tour, what it includes, where you go and how much you spend varies but there is no way around it. Train tickets are available 10 days before the day you would be leaving but it seems that getting tickets to Lhasa can be difficult, however getting them in Lhasa coming back is not and can be easily done directly. We contacted a few companies about getting the tickets to Lhasa and the only one that would guarantee them was CITS which makes sense since it is a government owned travel company. Every other agency said they would try but couldn't guarantee it and made the suggestion of flying to Lhasa which we weren't interested in doing. There is also an online ticket system but it can only be used by Chinese nationals. We were only going to be in the Lhasa area so I can't answer any of the questions about the specific type of tour you want to go on. The prices we found were from US$450-US$900.

I did some research too but unfortunately have to visit the rooftop yet. The 'guide' thing seems consistent although there were some really adventurous souls who managed to avoid that, but definitely not recommended.. While internet research, I found this resource quite reliable and upto-date: http://www.cafespinn.com/

This trip sounds great! And I completely understand your line-up. With having so many stops,it's easy to 'nickel and dime' yourselves into eventually missing destinations. My advice would be arrive in Beijing,see her treasures,short train to Qinhuangdao(a day to see the end/start of the Wall)or not,then onto Shanghai. I'd not miss this city if going to China. Should you two go here,take the day to see Suzhou and two for Hangzhou(the most beautiful city in the world to Marco Polo). The trains from Shanghai are reasonable and fast. Westward to Chengdu(awesome idea),or the Huangpu for your river quest. If you two prioritize what is 'must sees' alot time should you find amazement somewhere. I see what I 'must' and then plan-out those extra hops. And with Shanghai,your central/coastal and can save you time. Go to the rail-station and get your tickets there.Though if you buy them all in advance,your bound to them. I'm a sceptical person by nature,so i'd see Beijing/Shanghai and get my passes/accom booked in Sh prior to going into the interior. You'll have a wonderful time,but know you'll find places you'll want to explore more. Leave yourselves open to flexibility. And tours are cheaper booked THERE than if ABROAD. So,my advice; into Beijing & out via Shanghai. Eat everything and have a super trip. Now I want to go!

Thanks everyone for the replies! Since I am already in China (working here for the last 2 years), I am just interested in going to Tibet, it should be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And obviously it is kind of difficult to get the train tickets in high season. Tour and accommodation are lesser problems as I found out by now. And the booking fee of 50% for the train tickets is rather low compared to other on line offers in English language, but nobody would guarantee me to get them, even CTIS tells me to take the plane instead. Does anyone have experience in buying tickets FROM Lhasa TO Shanghai IN Lhasa just 10 days in advance in high season? I am rather sceptical too, but some tour operators said it's impossible to get those tickets before going to Lhasa... Thanks again everyone!!! L.

Hi, Since you are in China over the last 2 years and interested in visiting Tibet, I wonder if you have heard of a Travel Agency based in Lhasa called Access Tibet Tour? I would like to check the background of this company before i commit myself, but don't know how? Thanks.

Just wanted to post a warning about scams by agencies organising Tibet tours after checking out a few threads. We tried to head into Lhasa in May and organised our permits and a group tour that Beijing dictates you need to be on to get in. Checked the Lonely Planet forums and found Budget Tibet Tours, which a few travellers thought were legit. Before we left for our China/Tibet trip, Budget Tibet asked for the cost of almost the entire tour (RMB 6000 for two / US940) as a ‘deposit’ to be paid and transferred by Western Union (i.e. little protection). We refused to pay that much – thinking it was strange – so after checking online to see if anyone had been scammed and finding no evidence (the reason for this post), we paid RMB 800 / US125. When we arrived in China, we couldn’t get in touch with the agency for days then managed to Skype them with 2 days to go before we got on the train from Shanghai to Lhasa. Peter, the agent, then said that the Chinese govt had refused our permits and changed the rules to having at least 5 people of the same nationality on the same tour. When we asked for a refund of our deposit Budget Tibet Tours refused, saying that the most they would give us is US19. Plus if we wanted the transfer done by Western Union, we would have to pay the fee on their behalf as well. They said we couldn’t get our money back because these were ‘cancellation fees’. When we asked where, in all the emails/docs they had sent over, they had included a cancellation policy that said they could legally keep our money, Budget Tibet Tours didn’t reply. On top of that, now we don’t know whether Budget Tibet Tours will just change its name and keep doing the same thing to other people. So just wanted to warn all our fellow travellers out there that you’ll probably lose all your money if you book a tour to Tibet and pay upfront. Don’t do it. The tour operator might harass you to pay via Western Union or PayPal but the rules could change and you’ll lose everything. It’s easy to book in China – esp. in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu. We realised we could have sorted permits, the train and the tour with 5 days notice from our hostel in Shanghai! Good luck, people. We’ll be posting around on forums so other travellers can keep their cash for Tibet, not line the pockets of corrupt tour operators.

For ak101 - Unfortunately Forum posts soon disappear from view and unless an assiduous search is made of the Forums your information may not be seen. Why not cut down /abbreviate all that you have written here and include it as a Tip on your own Tibet page? That way it will be more accessible to future travellers. By the way I recall several threads on here in recent weeks about the requirement of 5 people travelling together. And - Welcome to VT!